ITHAKA

Why Ithaka and not another poetry in the blog?

And I really think that there are several which could perfectly fit here, but Ithaka I knew a month before leaving and I was thrilled to read it, seeing the spirit of the trip reflected in her. And life itself.

It was Almudena de Maeztu -blogger and writer in Amor en la mesa-, who showed it to me in a meeting-dinner with several friends at the home of Monica Sevil -friend of my youth and lawyer- who also helped me with some of the legal documents that I left facts before leaving.

And why did I want to share it with you? because maybe you know it and you’ll understand what I mean or, maybe, like me, it’s not like that, and it might be as excited as it was that February 2014 when I read it.

ITHAKA

As you set out for Ithaka hope the voyage is a long one, full of adventure, full of discovery. Laistrygonians and Cyclops, angry Poseidon—don’t be afraid of them: you’ll never find things like that on your way as long as you keep your thoughts raised high, as long as a rare excitement stirs your spirit and your body. Laistrygonians and Cyclops, wild Poseidon—you won’t encounter them unless you bring them along inside your soul, unless your soul sets them up in front of you.

Hope the voyage is a long one. May there be many a summer morning when, with what pleasure, what joy, you come into harbors seen for the first time; may you stop at Phoenician trading stations to buy fine things, mother of pearl and coral, amber and ebony, sensual perfume of every kind— as many sensual perfumes as you can; and may you visit many Egyptian cities to gather stores of knowledge from their scholars.

Ithaka gave you the marvelous journey. Without her you would not have set out. She has nothing left to give you now.

And if you find her poor, Ithaka won’t have fooled you. Wise as you will have become, so full of experience, you will have understood by then what these Ithakas mean.

Ithaka gave you the marvelous journey. Without her you would not have set out. She has nothing left to give you now.

And if you find her poor, Ithaka won’t have fooled you. Wise as you will have become, so full of experience, you will have understood by then what these Ithakas mean.

Philip Owen Arnould Sherrard (23 September 1922 – 30 May 1995) was a British author, translator and philosopher. His work includes important translations of Modern Greek poets, and books on Modern Greek literature and culture, metaphysics, theology, art and aesthetics. A pioneer of Modern Greek studies in England, he was influential in making major Greek poets of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries known in the English-speaking world.

Source: Wilkipedia

Constantine Cavafy

Constantine Peter Cavafy; also known as Konstantin or Konstantinos Petrou Kavafis; Greek; April 29, 1863 – April 29, 1933) was an Egyptian Greek poet, journalist and civil servant. His consciously individual style earned him a place among the most important figures not only in Greek poetry, but in Western poetry as well.

Cavafy wrote 154 poems, while dozens more remained incomplete or in sketch form. During his lifetime, he consistently refused to formally publish his work and preferred to share it through local newspapers and magazines, or eve print it out himself and give it away to anyone interested. His most important poems were written after his fortieth birthday, and officially published two years after his death.

Constantine Cavafy

Cavafy wrote 154 poems, while dozens more remained incomplete or in sketch form. During his lifetime, he consistently refused to formally publish his work and preferred to share it through local newspapers and magazines, or eve print it out himself and give it away to anyone interested. His most important poems were written after his fortieth birthday, and officially published two years after his death.

Do you have?

Contact form

I agree to be part of the contact file and receive non-commercial information *

Responsible: Fernando A. RutiaPurpose: I will use the information you provide in this form solely and exclusively to send you my articles.Recipients: Your data will be stored in MailerLite, my subscriber manager, which also complies with European RGPD.Rights: You have the right to forget. You can limit, retrieve and delete your information at any time. Ask and you will be granted.Legal Notice: Through this link you will be able to read our web policies

Thank you for contacting me. I’ll get back to you shortly. Good trips.